Don't You Dare Be Late
by agentrogerscarter
Summary: SHIELD's founders have been secretly researching ways to develop the scientific field on the tracks left behind by the Tesseract. In a testing sessions, Peggy Carter volunteers to go on their next try. When things go terribly wrong, Peggy vanishes from everyone's sights. The project is put aside and Peggy is believed to be dead, but they're horrible wrong about where she went. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_It's 1952, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders Peggy Carter, Captain Phillips and Howard Stark have been secretly researching ways to develop the scientific field on what the tracks left behind by the Tesseract. During some testing sessions, Peggy Carter volunteers to go on the next try-as they the three have been double-thinking their current volunteer's real intents. When things go terribly wrong in the testing capsule, Peggy vanishes from everyone's sights, just like World War soldiers would go when hit by Nazi officer Johann Schmidt's weapons. Defeated, believing Agent Carter has died, Phillips and Stark put the research on the classified deactivated files and try to move on from that disaster. What they do not know is that Peggy did not die, she's just been sent to another time._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

There's a strong, bright and blue light before everything just blacks off. A few seconds before that, or maybe while the light reached her, she saw her whole life pass through her eyes. Peggy saw her hometown, her school friends, her family. She saw her friends, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the war. Then, she saw Steve. He was smiling at her and that fulfilled her in an inexplicable way, making the blood run faster through her veins. He's the vision that lasts longer, even though everything just comes in a brief second, and he's walking to her. For a moment she believes in their impossible possibilities and they do exist, there, for just a small moment. Just as fast as it comes, it disappears.

On the background, Peggy can hear a deafening noise. She groans. Even though the brunette agent wants to open up her eyes, it seems hard to do it, having that awkward feeling they had been glued tight close. It's when she starts coming back to her senses. Taste, touch, smell. She feels there's something underneath her, that she's laying down on some soft yet warm layer. It's sand, Peggy realizes. Opening the eyes becomes a _need_, a struggle. The lights come again, as she manages to open them. Just to close the next second. Takes a few blinks to actually formulate figures. The sky is the first thing her dark-brown eyes glance at. It's fully bright and blue, like the last light she's seen. Peggy imagines the testing room exploded or ejected her outside, that'd be the only plausible explanation to her being on the outdoors. But then again, she'd probably dead if it was the case. So, is she in heaven?

As she tries to push her hands against the ground to stand up, Peggy feels every bone in her body hurt. She's certainly not in heaven. If she was dead, that was probably hell-especially with that burning sun on her head. With some difficulty, the woman seats up and take a glance around. _Nothing_. Absolutely nothing. It is like she's in some sort of desert. But how?

Confused and hurting, desperation reaches her and she stands up completely, with difficulty, and starts walking. Peggy doesn't know how long she has been lying there, but she needs to move. The only problem was: where the hell she was?

She walks, tiredly but unstoppable. It's hard to tell for how long. Maybe it was hours, it did felt like it, but it might have only been minutes. There's a trail left behind her, in case she needs to come back, but Peggy doubts she will. Women put in those circumstances would be crying and groaning, but Peggy is tough. It hurts everywhere in her body and her head feels as it'll explode at any second, but she's holding back. And she does it until she finds a small cottage. Then, after knocking on the door and being greeted by an alarmed old lady, Peggy just faints.

* * *

><p>"There's been a report of a different electrical force field reported nearby Jersey." Nick Fury tells his men with a concerned voice and a slight frown. "Did anybody report back on talk around the place?"<p>

"The area it's practically a desert, sir. I don't believe anybody saw anything." One on the computer said.

"People always see things." Natasha Romanoff corrects, cleaning her throat as she enters the room. "You asked to see me, sir?" She's talking to Fury now. Behind her arrive other two Avengers, Dr. Banner and the charming Captain Rogers.

"Yes, agent Romanoff. We had strange activity happening in Jersey and I'd like you to check that." She was nodding before Fury even finished his sentence. And in the next second she was making a turn, followed by the other two that had arrived together. "I'd prefer you two stay."

"Not very wise to send the girl out there alone." Banner frowned slightly and Romanoff gave him a straight look, that actually made him chuckle. "Not that she can't take care of herself, of course."

"Tell Barton to go with you." Fury added then. Steve stood after the other two left then, you could see he seemed lost in some way, which was weird to Captain America. He finally spoke up though, after a few minutes of silence and thinking.

"I'd like to go and help, sir." Fury shook his head.

"I have a feeling you should stay this time." Nick made a pause. "Plus, I need to update you on something we've been worrying about."

"Does it involve Stark?"

"It always involves Stark." Nick nodded, one side on his lip curving up. The kid was smart, he thought to himself.

* * *

><p>"Why these things always need to happen in the middle of the nowhere?" Natasha snorted in a bothered tone. She hated deserts and she hated sand. The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that went with her and Barton that circled the area for protection, though it didn't really need any evacuation as it was <em>in the middle of the nowhere<em>.

"Did you prefer it landed in the middle of Times Square?" Clint rose a brow at her, and chuckled. Knowing Natasha, she wouldn't mind that at all.

"It's not like New Yorkers haven't seen it all already." And she confirmed his thoughts. "But it's not a _it_, that's a _her_."

"How are you so sure it's a woman? Obviously that's a human body but…" Romanoff interrupted him with a laugh. "What?"

"I though you knew better to recognize a female shape." Then they exchanged this look, conflicted in their own way. "It's certainly the shape of a woman. And not too young I'd say. Also not old."

"Looks you're the lady's expert." Natasha rolled her eyes at him and they both glanced at an agent that approached them.

"It is a female body." Clint looked away, because he knew Natasha was smirking at the other agent's words. "There's a trail following to a small house five miles away."

"That's a hell of a walk to someone who just fell off the skies." Clint added, the frown stuck in his forehead again.

"We checked, there's just an old lady living there." The agent continued.

"Maybe she took in the woman?" Natasha thought out loud, glancing Clint then. "Let's go make sure." The both then exited to the car as Barton nodded at Romanoff. "I'm not sure why I have a weird feeling about this."

* * *

><p><strong>NA: **It is set after the first Avengers movie and before the second Captain America movie—which I will not use as much reference for now. The fanfic was created by a headcanon I had and it'll probably follow an AU road. It is centered in Steggy relationship, mostly, and them having a second chance in this new world and time. I'm more than welcoming suggestions, so please let me know your thoughts. I'm familiar with some of the comics, but not all of them, and all the Marvel movies and series. So probably most of you know more about the Marvel universe than I do. That's why I really would love to hear suggestions and critics. I don't know if anyone has come before with an idea similar to this one, as I've never seen one—but I have been far from the fanfic world for a while. So I promise you this is all me. And I hope you enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After the struggled had passed, Peggy was waking up again. This time the surroundings helped her on a quicker recover. Even before she opened her eyes, Carter knew to be lying on a bed instead of the sand, thanks to the full softness of the duvet that also covered her body-the head also careful and comfortably placed on a pillow. If that whole think had been a dream, she was to find now. Reality struck her like a kick in the balls. That was _not_ S.H.I.E.L.D. and that was not home either. At least not hers. Without moving her body, Peggy's eyes circled around. Thick concrete walls, badly painted in an ugly mustard color, few paints. The bed was a singles and there was a bedside table near it, with a glass of water carefully placed on it. She considered taking it, but Peggy was smarter than that.

Seating up she found a towel and a note placed on the foot of the bed. It read: "_You're probably confused now. I went out to get medicine for your wounds. You may shower if you want, the bathroom is down the hallway. Liz._" Hell yeah, she was confuse. Who was Liz and how did she end up there? The last traces of memories were the desert and walking to a little house. But it was hard to believe someone trustable lived alone with nothing around. Peggy thought then she needed to get out of there, fast. Standing up wasn't easy again, but then again had been harder before. Stumbling, Peggy got to the living room, lightened by a couple of weak lamps. Nobody seemed to be around, so she got a chance there to escape.

Stepping out to exit, Peggy found her imagine reflected in a mirror. There were cuts in her face, but the blood seemed to have dried out already. Although there were still traces of sand on her clothes and body, it was clear the woman that took her in tried to clean it out. Her arms carried a couple of bruises, but the worst she was her red lipstick blurred. It made her frown and let out a deep sigh. Now, she'd have to handle like that.

It was dark outside and Peggy had a hard time managing to walk and see properly due to all the pain and that strong wind that reached her. But from a far, there were light that could be seen. After a couple minutes walking, a road showed up and she knew the path to at least find what appeared to be a city.

* * *

><p>Nick Fury had settled an emergency meeting when Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton returned from their search on the spot with awkward outside activity. They hadn't been able to find the woman as she had ran off, but the old lady living there was able to give a pretty good sketch on what they were looking for. And that was what worried him. What came drawn in that paper. It was impossible and it could be a trick, that's why S.H.I.E.L.D. was keeping an eye on the lady's activity for now. But if she really was an honest one who had taken in a lost woman in her house, and that woman was the one described in the sketch, he feared <em>many<em> things. First of all, that soon enough she'd be completely confused with the world surrounding her, which was the easiest way to lose track of someone.

But that was why he needed to talk to the Avengers. Well, at least ninety-percent of them first.

Stark and Thor were the first ones to arrive. Romanoff and Barton had already been there. Banner came at last, delayed by his laboratory work. Everyone glanced at him as he came into the room and that was something that always made the man terribly uncomfortable.

"We're ready to start." Fury said, as Dr. Banner walked in.

"What about Mr. Tight Pants?" Stark joke, smiling around to his _mates_, but Banner was the only one to show the slight sign of a smile. He was pretty sure the Hulk felt compassion to him, because they were both badass scientists. But Stark always had miraculous theories about everything.

"Rogers needs to be out of this. For now." All of them narrow their eyes, some confused while other showed clearly suspicious. But all kept in silence, waiting to what was to follow. "Today we tracked traces of outside activity nearby Jersey. Romanoff and Barton went there and confirmed there was a woman's body on the local that disappeared. But there are only footsteps of one person, so she probably stood up and left." Fury paused and clicked some buttons that showed pictures and information on the area. "We confirmed later there are traces of the Tesseract force around."

"That's impossible." Stark intervened instantly. "Unless, of course, someone didn't do what was promised." His eyes went straight and shameless to Thor, who raised a brow.

"Do not start with it, Stark." Natasha just rolled her eyes.

"I thought it was impossible indeed, Stark, until they came back with the sketch of the woman."

"How did they get it?" Banner asked, confused on what he had missed in the story.

"I'll get there." Fury cleaned his throat. "It appears the woman found a small house on her escape and a lady took her in."

"The lady said she fainted on her door." Barton spoke up for the first time. Because he, out of everyone else in there, understood the situation. Because he knew who the woman was. And Clint knew it was impossible.

"Exactly. She then dragged her in and tried to settle her."

"She said the woman was pretty bad wounded and bleeding, so we take she didn't went far." Natasha intervened. She had been guessing Fury would assign them all to find her, not knowing it went beyond that.

"Finding her is important, but it's not our biggest problem." Fury said and Natasha instantly frowned.

"No?"

"No. The thing is, I wasn't believing when I saw the sketch. But we've been monitoring the old lady and she does seem harmless, so it couldn't be a lie."

"Old ladies are always a lie. We shouldn't trust her." Stark said, making the others roll eyes.

"What's so important about the woman?" Banner asked then.

"She's S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury clicked some buttons and Peggy Carter appear on their screen. "Peggy Carter, known as Agent Carter. She co-founded S.H.I.E.L.D. with Captain Phillips and…"

"My father." Stark completed, amazed and confused. He had seen her face before in his father's pictures. He knew who she was.

"Exactly." Nick continued. "She trained soldiers in World War II."

"She trained Steve." All of them concluded, though Natasha said it out loud.

"Yes. And our files show they were very close. There's not any confirmation they had anything _romantic_, but I do know Captain Rogers had a love interest on her in the past, 70 years-ago. She gave interviews saying all the best about Steve and she was involved in the super-soldier project. We also know he relied on her for courage and support."

"So how is a ninety-years old running around wounded?" Thor spoke finally, completely lost now.

"She's not." Barton replied himself, clearing his throat.

"That's the sketch Clint and Natasha brought in." Fury said, passing the paper to the others that hadn't seen him, observing the right moment where they all widened eyes.

"How come?" Banner blinked, adjusting his glassed in his nose. "She looks exactly the same as in the 40s."

"We do know she retired S.H.I.E.L.D. years ago, so there's information she grew from that face. We don't know _how _she got like this again, though."

"I have two thoughts on that…" Stark, that had been quiet and reflexive stood up. "One is that she managed to become young again, but that wouldn't explain her showing up in the middle of Jersey. Which leads me to think they might have traveled her through time."

"That's not possible." Natasha snorted off, impatiently.

"Have you not realized things are _not_ impossible yet?" Banner asked.

"I thought on that too, Stark." Fury finally cleared.

"It may actually be possible. Time and space are complicated things. When you see a star on Earth, you're seeing something that happened billions of years ago in space, you all know it through your own science." Thor reminded then. "If there was a gap and it was found by them in the past, we could be seeing a Peggy Carter that actually traveled through time, arriving Earth like the stars sight. You said there were traces of the Tesseract. It's known it was in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s possession back in the 40s?"

"It was used by a Nazi scientist to build weapons during the War." Banner clarified.

"So it is possible. We do not know the full power of the Tesseract, we just know it is powerful." Natasha corrected her previous self, still shocked by all the information.

"Now our priority is finding Agent Carter and bringing her in. If she's coming from the 40s, she'll be just like Steve when we found him frozen. In the meantime, I'll update Rogers on everything that's happened."

"Finding her will be a piece of cake. Good luck with Mr. Tight Pants." Standing up, Stark was already heading out the room, being followed by the others. Fury narrowed his eyes, with a slight shake of head.

* * *

><p>That small city Peggy had reached was rather estrange. The cars seemed more technological and people didn't look up to see who was passing through them, as they appeared to be entertained in some sort of device that lightened up and the could manipulate with fingerprints. She was confuse and sometimes seemed like the world spins a little faster than she was used to, because her mind would turn dizzy every five seconds. Which made her breathing get rough sometimes.<p>

People stumbled on her as she passed through, though some tried to turn on a different way and avoid the collision. None stopped to ask why there were wounds and bruises on her and Peggy wondered if she was invisible. Or what kind of world was that, where people seemed invisible to others.

She sat on a bench because now her stomach also turned. Peggy groaned, but madly. She hated feeling weak and dizzy. Peggy Carter was a strong S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and not any easy harm could come to her. But it seemed that went beyond something she could control. With the adrenaline going down, Peggy groped on a hurting spot to find a bleeding wound. It had a bad bandage against it, that probably couldn't handle the bleeding when she started walking. Maybe she shouldn't have left the cottage after all.

Blood didn't shake her, but knowing she was bleeding worried Peggy. It was underneath her clothes and Peggy couldn't take a look to see how bad it was. If she didn't found a way to contain it, then Peggy would certainly ascend to the skies. It didn't sound a bad idea when she thought she could meet with Steve. But Peggy was pretty sure they weren't going to the same place after death, so she planned to stay alive.

Then she was saved before she even knew, when she heard a voice just as she stood up.

"There she is." Peggy looked around to see five figures approaching her. One that had this iron armor, that she considered being a robot even after his face was revealed, and other that wore completely weird clothes while carrying a giant hammer. The other three seemed pretty normal so her eyes went back to the iron robot, because he looked _too_ familiar.

"Peggy Carter?" Her eyes widened when the lady said her name and Peggy instantly reached for her gun that wasn't where it was supposed to be. "Please, we're here to help."

"We're from S.H.I.E.L.D." The man carrying a bow and arrow clarified. Now that she had actually noticed him, he seemed strange too.

"Do not get close." Peggy said in her strong British accent. She was wounded, tired and in pain, but she wasn't letting people trick her. "You're _not_ S.H.I.E.L.D."

"We give you our promise that we are." The hammered man said, and she narrowed her eyes, even more suspicious.

"Where am I?" Her voice cracked up slightly. Then, the woman that looked more common to her, though her clothing did seem odd to what Peggy was used to, took the lead.

"You're bleeding, let us help you. There's a lot you need to be updated and we'll answer you everything, but you need to come with us." There was something so odd about all that, Peggy couldn't really understand what was going on and what she had been put into. She just wanted to seat. And shower.

"Where am I?" Carter repeated though, rougher this time.

"New Jersey." The one with a familiar face said it, finally. Still, something didn't fit. She had been to Jersey and it was _nothing_ like it. Then the possibility crossed her mind, but she didn't want to believe it.

"W-What year is it?" Peggy hesitated.

"2013."

"That—" She paused, both stunned and completely scared. "—That's impossible." She lost her breath there, for what seemed a very long second.

* * *

><p>Steve Rogers could not believe the words that had been said to him. Sat in a comfortable chair at Fury's office, he suddenly became unquiet. That could not be true. He had gone through the files. He read every and each one of them about her. The file case itself read retired. She had been ninety-something now. Alive, yes. Even though he still hadn't gotten the guts to go there and see her with his own eyes. Steve hadn't been ready. But she was even less ready to what Fury had just told him. For a second he thought that maybe if he had told Peggy died it'd be less shocking. But he didn't want to even imagine a scenario where she was truly dead and gone, not when he knew she was still alive. So he shook the thoughts away. <em>That<em> was much more serious after all.

His throat, seemed to have something stuck in it. Maybe because he had so many questions formulating in his mind and yet he could not put out any of them. Was she alright? How did she get there? Was that even possible? All those circled his mind and Nick could see that, by the way the frown formed in his forehead.

"We believe it was time travel. I know it may sound completely impossible, but that is the only plausible solution we've been considering." Fury explained, sat in front of Captain America, he choose words carefully. "But we know the Tesseract may leave tracks behind. Maybe they were using it or researching and something happened." Fury leaned back, making a pause. "Agent Romanoff spoke to her on the way here and—"

"Peggy is here?" Steve finally spoke up, looking Fury with what he'd describe as hope. Nick Fury just nodded. "I need to see her. I need to speak to her."

"Agent Romanoff spoke to her, Rogers. Peggy Carter has no clue how she got in here. We explained that it's 2013 and she couldn't quite tell us how she ended up here. She still doesn't trust us being S.H.I.E.L.D. and was very careful on giving information, as I noticed."

"She will trust me. Let me talk to her." Steve insisted. The fact Fury had ignored his previous words only made him mad and desperate. "I need to see her, Fury." He stood up then, impatiently.

"She doesn't know you're alive, Rogers. She lives in a world where Captain America was never found."

"Then let me tell her what happened." His hand reached for his hair, his large fingers passing through the blonde locks. "I know Peggy, she's tough. But she'll recognize me, she'll know it's me. I _have_ to see her." The past two years, since he had been found frozen and alive, Steve had been trying to move on and go with his life in a world so different from what he knew. And now someone from his past that he had cared so much for, that he _almost_ had had the chance to fall in love with and built up something good. Steve was desperate to reconnect with those kind of life possibilities that had been taken from him, thanks to his own choice.

"Fine," Fury finally said, "I'll take you to see her." At first, Steve blinked surprised, thinking it'd take him a little more begging. Then he nodded and was leaving the room before Fury could change his mind.

They walked side by side in silence, through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s long and busy corridors. Steve thought to himself in the way, how disturbing it must have been to Peggy to be dragged to that underground facility after being told she was in the future. He _knew_ the feeling. But he knew Peggy wouldn't be scared, or wouldn't be showing it. She was suspicious, though. That Steve was positive without even needing to see her. That was Peggy they were talking about after all.

He had been anxious to see her and that short jog seemed like a marathon made in slow turtle steps. They stopped in front of a door. It was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s recovery room. Steve wondered if that had been necessary after all, those rooms seemed like they were treating a sick patient and could be rather scary. At least to him who hated hospital looking places.

Fury opened the door and stepped in first. "Ms. Carter, we have someone here who would like to talk to you." Peggy was facing the opposite wall to the door, standing up near a few equipments. She had an improvised gown on, because it was light and didn't touch much of her skin—as it was huge to her, looking like one of those hospital clothes- and even before she turned around Steve saw the bruises in her arms and legs, understanding the room she had been put in. That made his head hurt and his heart tightened.

It only lasted a second, but to Steve all seemed to happen in slow motion, as she turned around to face Fury and him, standing right behind the commander. From her angle, took Peggy another extra moment to actually see Steve and then she froze with the vision. For a second, she really thought she was dead, as her chin dropped and her eyes instantly grew to tears—which made her terribly frustrated, because she hated feeling defeated and weak. But the frustration faded, everything did, even the pain from the cut in her leg, even the wounds from her face seemed to heal. She wanted to speak but the words failed.

"Peggy." Steve was the one to break the silence then. His eyes had teared up as well, though a lot more than her, because one or two actually fell, rolling through his trembling cheek. She was actually there. His Peggy. The one that had trained him, that stood by his side, that he relied on for everything, for his strength. He couldn't believe it was her. She couldn't believe it was him.

Her Steve. That young boy dreamy boy she met, the one whom she watched grow inside and out for so long, from a distance. That she saw inspire America and herself. It was him, right in front of her, looking just as the last time she saw him, in the 40s! But how could it be? If he had been alive, Steve would have aged a little, even with the super soldier gene running through his veins. Yet, there he was, just like she knew him. Had he traveled in time too? Or was all that a set up.

Peggy didn't speak a word, not until Fury excused himself and closed the door behind him. Even then, she stood in silence. Taking that in, absorbing that. Steve had been analyzing her too. It _was_ really her, he knew it. But she was so wounded, so hurt. Worried him in ways Peggy couldn't even imagine. He hadn't even seen her like that. Neither during war. Steve took a step forward and Peggy one behind, making him stop. When he looked down, her already fast-beating-heart took a giant leap that made her lose her breath. It was Steve. That couldn't be anyone else.

"Is—Is that really you, S—Steve?" Her voice cracked up and before she knew it, the second he nodded to her words, they were involved in each other's arms, laced by a deep, and carried with feelings, hug. A hug of two people that had longed for each other so many time and so badly, that nothing could tear them apart from sharing that moment now.

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** Thank you all so much for the follows, comments, etc. I have written five chapters already and I'll be posting them in the next few days. Responding the reviews I got!

**shslmidget **I might be getting some information from Agent Carter's show, I am just waiting on more episodes to come and to see what I can use from it. I am open for suggestions! ;) And thanks for your lovely review, I'm glad yo see you're enjoying the plot!

**JuliaAurelia **thank you! I took a while thinking the concept in my mind and how possible it could be. I'm glad it is working out, it'll have more explanations on the time travel further on. And I'm glad to tell you the reunion just happened hehe.

Also, as some of you may know, English is my second language so I am looking for a beta. Message me if you're interested and let's talk it out. Now I hope you enjoyed the reading and 'till next chapter. Please send me your lovely reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**N/A:** HELLO, Steggies! I am so grateful and happy with all the follows and support you've been giving me. Seriously, you're wonderful. So here I bring you a full 3k+ words chapter all of Steggy cuteness. I hope you enjoy! Waiting on your thoughts, loveballs. Still looking for a beta, by the way. I'm making a quick post because it's nearly five in the morning for me, but I thought you deserved this with all the kindness you've given me. I'm not replying the reviews at this time because I really need to head to bed, but I promise I read them all and kept in my big heart. Good reading, mwah!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

Her breathing became suddenly steady, maybe because Steve brought up that old feeling of an unsettled feeling Peggy had been carrying ever since he disappeared after that forced landing. Back then, when they had been scheduling that date over a troubled call, she already knew. Agent Carter knew that was the end, that there was no going back once he had made his decision. She still found oddly beautiful that he had even brought up the possibility of rain checking on the date—a date Agent Carter knew it wouldn't happen. But _Peggy_ had hope. Deep down inside she always had and never let it die in the darkest and most sad parts of her heart. She couldn't manage to go to The Stork Club on that particular Saturday, obviously not—instead Peggy had curled in bed and cried, like she ever done before. But something in her heart never died, and it fought with her head when it forced rationality to her brains. And even with a hopeful heart that always knew that could happen, Peggy was suddenly so scared, so confuse.

Steve noticed that on her and gently pulled back from their hug. His face carrying all those not pretty red spots from the crying that had wet his cheeks as the tears had rolled down without permission. Steve couldn't believe, but there the odds were, proving him once again that _nothing_ was impossible. Like Peggy, Steve was still in a state of complete confusion, but he was more worried about how she was coping, how she was taking all that in. Steve was never one who just _accepted_ things and situations and for a good part of it he had Peggy Carter to thank for that—since it was her who gave him the moral guidance and support when he was playing dancing monkey during World War. He hadn't ever accepted the fact he stood frozen 70 years, missing that date, missed that chance with Peggy. But he was force to go from that and manage through the life his choices lead him. Steve always though Peggy would be proud of him, for having courage to do what's best for his country, putting others before himself. But it didn't take off the hurt of losing her in the process. So now that she was there, he didn't quite know where to start.

"You're alive." It was Peggy who broke the silence, her eyes were stuck on him, but they moved everywhere in his face, taking the fact he looked exactly the same age they had last seen each other. Peggy still couldn't process how, not in that 2-13 scenario they had set her in. "T-They said, it's 2013… _How_ are you alive? We should both be dead." Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke. Carter had done the math while before, while she was still processing Agent Romanoff's informations in her mind. Peggy would have been ninety-something about that time, so she couldn't have lost her memory and thought she was in the 1952, where her last memory came from. Not with that face, or body.

"Come seat down. You're hurt." Steve said then. Now that they stood so closely together, he could see how they looked pretty bad, making his worry grow. He was not surprised she protested as he tried leading her to seat on the bed. Not when he wasn't answering her questions. Peggy didn't need to say a word so he'd know that was the deal. "Please, Peggy. I promise I will answer everything. Just seat." They hadn't mention the deep cut that stood near her left knee and that kind of frustrated Steve. Fury had clearly been trying to hide some facts there.

When she finally sat down, Steve sat beside her. "Is it hurting? How'd you get this?" Peggy looked down. Now she understood the bleeding wound. That she remembered quite well and it had nothing to do with whatever happened to her now.

"It was a gunshot." Steve's eyes widened, Peggy continued then. "A couple of years ago—" she paused, frowning "—ninety… Oh, does not matter. I have asked you questions before, Steve. Please, do answer them and do not dare changing the subject here." Her tone was severe and Steve nodded in an instant. For a second he though Stark would probably make fun of him if he'd seen that.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I'll answer yours first. Then you answer mine." Peggy did not nodded or pronounced any agreement words, mostly because she wasn't sure she'd be able to answer what he had to ask. But Peggy would do her best because it was Steve. "I was found frozen two years ago." He started explaining. "Stark's industry was looking for the Tesseract—" Peggy suddenly interrupted him.

"Is Howard still alive?" She asked in her British wondering accent. Steve sighed.

"Unfortunately not. His son is… Tony." Both Peggy and Steve seemed a little shaken by the information. Though Steve had known before, it was still hard to cope with the fact his old friend had died before they could be reunited—like had happened with so many others in his life. "He was the one looking for it and they found me frozen in Hydra's plane." Peggy looked down and Steve stopped his tale because she looked reflexive. "What?"

"If you had told me your coordination, we would have known where to be looking at." Suddenly, it seemed there was something stuck in her throat, that bothered her for not looking further, forcing them to dig more on the search for Steve. "You were frozen, for 70 years."

"It wasn't your fault they didn't find me." Steve read into her thoughts and his hand reached for hers. That sudden touch made her look up, into his deep eyes. Peggy didn't pull back.

"We should not have stopped it. I always thought it was not right. Not after all you had done to the country." There was so much more though, so many other things in between that she couldn't control even though she wished she could have. "But it was me against all them." The fact all knew Peggy had been in love with him also added badly to her balance. They all just believed she was not to be hear under the set circumstances. So Peggy suffered in silence. "But do continue."

Steve glanced her for a few moments, wondering how painful it must have been to her during the past years she had lived. He wasn't quite sure she still had feelings towards him, but his did not stop during the last forty-eight months Steve was unfrozen and living. Especially not when he'd seat at Central Park and think how he wanted to be there with Peggy, both aging together, with gray hairs and grandchildren around them; not when he dragged himself to sleep just to be awaken in the middle of the night by a dream where they got their second chance and lived happily.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. helped me adapting to the new… _Era_." Steve didn't know how he could quite define it all. He was living in a whole different world. When he went to _sleep_, everything was still in a deep and troubled war. Waking up to a country full of all that freedom they had battled to gain, a world ruled by advanced technology in which _none_ of the people he loved and cared were part of. It had been two years of struggle. And he imagined it wouldn't be an easy task for Peggy either, but he'd be there for her, no matter what. "The world has changed a lot."

"I noticed during my brief moments out there." She felt honestly caged in that underground facility. It had been awkward entering that car with those awkward figures while the only person she had really felt any connection had been the iron robot one—whom she noticed to be easily inappropriate, during just a short ride. "Who are those people who found me? Those agents?" Steve noticed, while Peggy seemed to be trying to remember something, that she hadn't asked how he did not die frozen, but he guessed she knew the large scales the super-soldier serum had. "I think it was Agent Romanoff, Agent Barton, Dr. Banner… And I do not believe the robot and the one carrying a hammer presented themselves on the way here." She continued, remembering their names then.

"Oh, you met my friends." Steve suddenly smiled and Peggy caught herself cherishing that instant. She hadn't realized how much she had missed his smile. "They're the Avengers, _we_ are." Her eyes widened then, and Steve smiled.

"I thought the initiative had been put aside." Peggy cleared. Steve nodded, making her even more confuse.

"It was. But we managed to rebuild it last year."

"How come?" Peggy asked, suddenly surprised and interested.

"There are so many things you would not believe if I told you…" Captain Rogers was shaking his head then, the exact goofy way Peggy had seen him do a couple times during the brief years they spent together. That brought a smile to the corner of her lips, it was small, but a start.

"Do try me." She said.

"I will tell you everything. But first—" Steve paused, remembering questions he was instructed to make before he left Fury's office. He shook his head, then continuing "—are you alright?" As instinct, his hand reached out for her face, touching her chin. Peggy stood for a second, caught up by that, but then her muscles relaxed. The way he was concerned about her was touching in every way.

"I'm alright." Every time her accent show more, brought Steve goosebumps. It was a sound he had forgotten how good it could be to his ears. "I have been through worst scenarios." Agent Carter shook her head, remembering her first years after war, after losing Steve. "You promised not to change the subject, Steve."

"Right." He nodded, smiling at her polite yet serious tone. She liked words to be kept and things to be done her way, Steve had lived under her training for long enough to learn that. "What else do you want to know?"

"Tell me about the Avengers, the other two I do not know the name." Steve remembered then, how one of them might be important for her to know about.

"Remember I said Howard had a son?" Peggy nodded.

"Tony."

"Yes. Is that one you called a robot. That's actually his armor." Steve explained and then suddenly all made sense in Peggy's mind. That's why he looked so familiar to her. He was Howard's son. _Bloody hell_, she thought, _Howard had actually managed to settled down and build a family_.

"He was fruit of a lovingly marriage wasn't it?" She asked, unsure but hopeful her friend had actually gained sense to his mind. Steve nodded and she breathed in relief.

"From all I know, he is… Although he's got a lot from Howard, Tony is a lot more…" Steve tried to formulate a word, but couldn't quite really. "I guess you'll see, it's hard to explain." He cleared his mind then. "The other one is Thor. He's a God." When Peggy frowned, her head tilting to the side, Steve wondered what went through her mind. "As in the real actual sense of the word, not figuratively at all. He came from another world, called Asgard."

It was a lot of information. Peggy thought, for a moment there, if she was really ready to hear that all. She took a breath and Steve saw her becoming instantly distant and thoughtful. He remembered well how hard it had been for him to take all that information, so silence invaded the room as the man gave his so long lost love space to digest it all, leaving Peggy to cue the next thing she wanted to know.

"You can ask your questions." She said, after what seemed brief minutes. Steve nodded.

"How you got shot?" Steve had been instructed to ask several different questions about why and how she was there, but all he could process was why Peggy hadn't been fully well. She noticed that. Peggy knew he'd be requested to ask her questions and she knew those weren't standard questions in situations like that, or similar. But it warmed her heart to know Steve had been so worried to the point he'd make his own questions.

"I was working as an agent. By the time I was actually helping Howard to clear his mess." Peggy frowned, remembering the milk distributor car and the _sparkling grandees_ that exploded to make a whole factory disappear. "It was a complicated time. War was over and people did not want a woman in anything but secretaries or waitresses. Or housewives." Which never suited her, but she'd have considered if it was by Steve's side. Though she thought he'd never stop her from being who she really was. "I got shot in one of the missions. But it was in forty-three. I have no idea why would open now." Peggy sighed, looking doing bothered with it.

"Maybe it was during your landing." He thought, frowning. "I was told they spotted the Tesseract force and that's how they found you. You probably landed there in the middle of nowhere coming from… Well, nineteen-forty-three."

"I came from fifty-two." She corrected then. She knew, at some point, she'd have to say something—at least what she knew and remember—and preferred it being with Steve than anyone else she didn't know. "Me, Howard and Phillips were researching Tesseract tracks ever since forty-eight. Howard's studies lead to nothing during quite a while. But recently he developed a capsule. We could use it for testing and we were doing with people. Howard had assured me and Captain Phillips that was safe, mainly why we kept the project running in secret. But…" Peggy looked down, the most recent memories were the blurriest ones. "We were suspecting our volunteer's intentions. Although we did quite a selection, it was hard finding honest and great men like—" Her eyes glared up and found his. "—you. So I volunteered to go on his place. And the last thing I remember was a blue, bright light and… And you." She repeated the same brief pause. The seconds followed silence and deep, long stares. "I missed you so much, Steve." For Peggy it was hard confessing something like it. But so much had happened. She had lost him once and they didn't have their chance. During those years she had to live on and cope with his absence, Peggy had only wondered what could have been if she had taken a chance before and not waited until her stupid heart told her it'd be the last time. Because deep down she knew, that very first and last time they kissed, that she wouldn't see him anymore after he went on that plane. But Peggy had always been a foolish hopeful when it came to Steve—though now her heart had proven her right.

"You have no idea how much I missed you, Peggy." Suddenly, his forehead touched hers, as Steve leaned in. His eyes were closed, because all that pain came like a punch to his heart. He knew how she felt, and he hated they both had gone through so much. Even if she was there now, it was such an bizarre situation the universe put them through. He could only hope it was for the best.

Her hands cupped his face the second after he spoke and Peggy pulled back so her lips would touch his forehead, leaving a kiss there. If she was completely confuse and lost, she couldn't imagine what had been to Steve to go through that for two years since he was found alive. _Alone_. She felt everything flooding from him and it pained her as well. For a while, Peggy Carter just held Steve Rogers in her arms. He breathed heavily in her neck and took him a moment to notice how it caused chills to her skin. Then it came to him. Why was he wasting so much time?

The woman he had loved for so long and so much was right there in front of him. After two years thinking he had lost their chance forever, there she was proving him that nothing could be said as certain in this world. And dammit, he wasn't letting her escape this time. They weren't going to lose their chance again. Steve pulled back just enough to look at her. She knew it, she knew he'd kiss her by the way his iris became deep oceans she craved to dive in.

Peggy closed her eyes and Steve their distance. Their lips met halfway. Both of them sighed with the relief that was being able to do that again, when they had believed it'd be just in their dreams. Steve's arms surrounded her waist to hold her steady, even if Peggy Carter could balance herself pretty easily. Their mouths opened up to space at the same time, their minds and wants synced. In the following moment, their tongues met inside their mouths for that dance they never had, that deepened their kiss. Growing the intimacy of their moment every time their heads turned and their lips collided to each other again.

It was heaven and none of them wanted to part fearing they would wake up alone, like it had happened every time they shared a moment like this, in their own paradise land. So for quite a while, they kept on regaining air from each other's lungs. Steve pulled her closer as his hands softly moved through the whole extension of her spine. While Peggy's fingers traveled up his shoulders, his neck and nape, until they were linking on his short locks of hair—that she gently pulled the times he'd gently pull on her lower lip.

When air started getting rare in the room, they had both to pull back. Steve was pretty sure there was a security camera in the room and all his co-workers were watching the scene now. He also didn't want to give them a little show out of his and Peggy's moments, so he thought it was better that way. Both were still panting though, when his hands cupped her face this time.

"I don't care _how_ you ended up here. You're here now." Steve mumbled into her lips, giving her some small kisses from time to time. She only nodded for a moment. Both of them still had their eyes closed, so it took a sniff from Peggy so that he'd open his to see her cry. His thumbs cleaning the wetness in her cheeks. Peggy looked at him too and smiled truly for the first time. A smile she hadn't had in ages.

"And I'm not letting you slip away this time." She said, her severe tone appearing, though she still carried the joy in her expression. "You're not getting any bad guys without me." They chuckled together, like in love fools. Steve said a _'screw them_' mentally, to whoever could be watching them, before he kissed her again.

In the other room, where the security camera recordings lead, all the Avengers had dismissed themselves from the screen quite a while ago, except, of course, Stark. But it nothing that Natasha and Banner couldn't handle with some threats to make him walk away from it, that he ended up doing, not without protesting, of course.


	4. Chapter 4

**N/A:** First of all I'd like to thank my _lovely_ beta **phnxgrl** who did an amazing job helping me correct and structure this chapter and will be working with me from now on. So thanks a lot dear, for helping me increase the quality of my work, it wouldn't have happened without your help. Also thanks _so much_ to Ashley who's helping with grammar as well and plotting stuff for a better and complete fic for all of you. So kuddos to my two amazing, smart and strong Carter helpers ;) I'll leave you to the chapter and there will be a final note at end, about the reviews. Good reading!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

Agent Romanoff has proven herself to be quite a nice lady. Peggy thinks to herself when the Russian woman helps her find some proper clothes. This is after S.H.I.E.L.D's doctor reports Peggy would recover soon enough and is good to go. This includes some of her own pressure to be removed from locked down too. It has been twenty-four hours that Peggy is in their underground facility. She felt like a lab rat. Obviously she has agreed on letting them collect some blood and do some other tests. This feels so beyond awkward. Now she knows how Steve feels during the experiment.

She is staying at Steve's place. Natasha considers offering her apartment for Peggy to stay. Though, things are just a complete mess. Since, she is still in the process of moving in to a shared apartment with Clint. There is still a spare room no matter what Natasha's and Clint's sleeping arrangements are. Steve goes ahead then offers Peggy a place at his loft. There is plenty room for her to settle. He being a gentleman wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch. He is just concerned for her comfort. Besides, he didn't want to be apart from her especially not after all that has happened.

Peggy has much to catch up. S.H.I.E.L.D. is still trying to figure out the whys and hows on her appearance in this time frame. Fury obviously knows it could be chaotic. People do not travel through time without a reason. He believes the bigger reason the less possible it is. Yet, it did occur. Now they could only wonder why. He believes all time traveling movies have a warning for a reason. It doesn't matter how full of rubbish or nonsense they are filled. They have one single message in common. One should not mess with the past or future. If Peggy Carter isn't in her respective time that could cause consequences. These they are soon to find out.

Right now, Peggy and Steve could just breathe. However, both of them have thoughts circling their minds something else is going to happen. Meanwhile the Avengers are already engaged on trying to find answers. Some of them, like Dr. Banner, thought it is completely rude and dangerous to try to find these answers without alerting them as a common courtesy. Other voices argued to continue. Since, they wouldn't know how exactly former Agent Carter and their leader would react upon learning of their endeavors. So it is best to keep them in the dark.

Agent Romanoff has second thoughts on that. She agrees to go with the majority. S.H.I.E.L.D. ran tests on her blood samples along with other samples collected where she has landed. Tony digs in his father's archives. Thor goes back to Asgard to see what he could find out from there. Agents Barton and Romanoff are going through S.H.I.E.L.D.'s own files. Peggy Carter is entering Steve Rogers' apartment for the first time.

Steve carried her small bag that has been borrowed from Natasha. It is she that helps Peggy with clothes. She found those that fit Peggy without removing her comfort and style. Steve walks right behind his former/current love after opening the door for her. It was a classic loft. Steve has been told when he moved there with the help of S.H.I.E.L.D. It has a full open space with tall walls that went to the second floor. On the first floor there are a few couches around a center table that happens to be full of books. Nearby there is a wide bookshelf which is next to a big screen.

Peggy is actually frowning at that device trying to figure out what it is. The bookshelf is also piled with books and sorted in different positions. The perfectionist in her instantly wants to set them right. They should be organized by author's last name. However, enticing that is to her. She focuses first on exploring the place. Right behind that small space that seems to be his living room, Peggy found a counter that divided that area from the kitchen. That other room was neat, all organized and full of the latest kitchen equipment. Peggy wonders if Steve cooks and how well is he? This kitchen seems very spacious. Perhaps thanks to all the white walls. It contrasts with silver electronics and dark-brown furniture. She feels quite comfortable. It could be that she sees Steve's touches. It really shows on some paintings and maps on the walls.

"This is it." He finally said as he closes the door behind him. Steve watches Peggy as she enters then takes her own time to look around the two massive spaces of the loft's first floor. She stops to glance at him.

"It's small but it's been enough for me." Steve quips.

"I like it, Steve." She says. "It seems rather comfortable."

"It is." Steve nodded. "S.H.I.E.L.D. helps me find this place. I immediately like it. I love these tall walls. The second floor is like a balcony too. I couldn't help to fall in love with the place." Steve says as he has a hand in his hip then looks around as he speaks.

Peggy watches him with an amused smile.

"Really seems beautiful…And very _new_." She comments as her eyes glance around the place again then resting on the TV. "What would that be?"

"Oh!" Steve exclaims as suddenly he is all excited.

He looks for the remote control placed on the center of the table. He grasps it in one hand then presses the on button. The device comes to life as Steve beams.

"This is a TV er Television." He says as he looks like an excited little boy showing off his toy to his pals.

This action makes her chuckle as she is very impressed too. It looks nothing like any TV she knows.

"Steve, I know what a television is. Howard built one in 1929. However, they definitely have improved it since 1953." Peggy says as she sits mesmerized by the colorful display. However, the action on the screen was mostly gibberish to her.

"Right! Now they have hundreds of channels plus all sorts of different TV programs. I'll show you my favorites later." Steve says shutting off the device then replacing the remote on the table.

Peggy nods observing him. It is really a whole new world. She thinks the women dress style is the most shocking part of it all.

"Alright…Maybe we might discuss this over a cup of tea? I am simply dying for one." Peggy confessed.

Though, she isn't a walking English cliché. However, the lady has always liked a mean cup of tea.

"Of course, Peggy, I'll show you the second floor then we'll go to kitchen. How does it sound?" Steve asks looking for approval.

"That is very satisfactory, Steve. Would you please return to the tour of this marvelous place?" Peggy asks with a bright smile.

"Ok up these stairs is my room. I have a working desk in there as well. It is there in case I'm studying for a mission. Also so I don't leave a mess in the living room." Steve says clearing his throat then places her bag on the nearest chair up stairs.

Peggy looks around at this part of the loft.

"It is only fair that gentleman such as I will sleep on the couch. You should take my bed." He explained.

He knows how nowadays women engage on different activities when stay at a man's place, especially when they carry feelings for each other. Though, he hasn't done any of those activities in the past two years. He has heard much about it from Stark. Peggy is a modern woman in 1950's and well, Steve is very old school.

"That is simply lovely, Steve. However, will it be uncomfortable to sleep on the couch?" Peggy asks then Steve interrupts by shaking his head.

"Peggy, I was frozen solid for 70 years. A couch will not bother me, do not worry." Steve replies.

They finish the tour then later find them on the couch facing the TV. Peggy is reading a book. She barely glances up other than to take a sip of this delightful tea.

Her head rests on his massive shoulder. He shows her every single TV show he has learnt about in the last two years along with his favorite movie titles too. Peggy listens to him as she continues to read. Steve seems enthralled to the device. Peggy has amused yet confuse smile in her lips. This Raymond Chandler book is a very good read. She wonders why she never took the time to read it before.

"Peggy, I want you to put the book down. I have a treat. I can put Casablanca on the screen if you would like to see it?" Steve asks so boldly.

Peggy has come to the end of the book anyways, so she did as he instructed.

Steve gives her a small smile then activates the device then the music started playing which brought Peggy back to the wartimes. She has seen it in New York at the Bijou. It is between the times Steve as Captain America is with the USO. He asks her out. She remembers kissing him in the darken theater. She is touched by his sentimentality.

She snuggles closer as the film unveils itself in such superb clarity. Soon Peggy is tired. Steve's arm is so comfortable. She is soon asleep as Steve being involved in the film barely notices her weight has subtly increased.

* * *

><p>In the middle of the night, Peggy wakes up with a loud scream. Her breathing is heavy. Heavier than she thought it could ever be. Gasping, Peggy gropes around looking for some light. She can't find anything because the place is still completely unknown to her. She doesn't even know how she ended up in this bed. The last thing she remembers is falling asleep on Steve's arm.<p>

"_Was it all another dream?"_ Peggy fears.

Instantly, her breath grows steadier. It's too dark. She can't exactly distinguish any figures. Then she sees light coming from the bottom floor and a sleepy Steve appears by the stairs. Peggy exhales in relief. Steve carries a clear worried aspect. He walks to her in a hurry. Peggy hasn't noticed, but her hand is resting on her pulsing chest. Her heart seems to have taken high leaps.

"Are you ok?" Steve asks as he approaches her.

Peggy takes a second to regain her breath then nods at him.

"I'm alright." She says bravely as her shoulders shrink slightly and a frown suddenly appears on her forehead.

Steve looks concerned as Peggy continues.

"It was nothing but a bad dream." Peggy sighs.

"Do you want a glass of water?" Steve gently asks.

Peggy nods, smiling softly at his request. Before she can stand up to follow Steve is already leaving.

"Peggy please wait here, I'll get that for you." Steve says with a smile.

"Thank you Steve for being so kind" Peggy says as she sits up in the bed as instructed with also a smile on her face.

It bothers her how much of a gentleman he can be. She likes it too much. It's what has always worried and annoyed her. In no time, Steve is back carrying a glass of water.

"Thank you Steve." Peggy says as she picks up the glass and drinks in sips.

Steve sits next to her on the edge of the bed. He waits until she finishes to take the glass from her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Steve carefully asks.

Peggy shakes her head. She doesn't want to relive it. She knows that dream too well. She's had it several times and it has just become a routine to her life.

It's always of him. She sees them talking over the radio. It is the reality she has lived. Then the image changes after there is radio silence other than normal crackles heard in the background.

Next scene is of Peggy at his funeral that never did happen. It is where there's a body and the promise that he'll one day come back is buried with the casket. It's painful. She's crying in front of everyone. No one comes to comfort her. Though, she receives several hugs, none of them is-neither will be, Steve's. It hurts like hell. She wants to wake up, so she ends up screaming.

Usually, she just crawls back in bed and forces herself to sleep. In this scenario there's no Steve bringing glasses of water for her routine. However, this time it is very different. She may get used to this now.

"I happen to have plenty of nightmares." she explains. "Ever since... Ever since I lost you, they became more frequent."

Peggy clears her throat then sighs once more. She shakes her head. Steve sees her constant need to be strong. He puts the glass aside on the bedside table. His other hand reaches for her. Steve pulls Peggy gently to him and in a quick second they're wrapped in a hug. Her head rests on his strong yet comfortable chest. His arms embrace her, wrapping Peggy around the waist.

"I'm here now." He whispers and Peggy nods.

She takes a few minutes before finally looking up. They exchange a long smile. That's followed by an even longer kiss.

"I know." Peggy finishes saying breathlessly.

Their foreheads lean against each other, finding support. Both of them have their eyes closed. They feel the other's smile.

"I could not be any happier about it." Steve murmurs in her ear.

* * *

><p>On Monday, Steve and Peggy find themselves entering S.H.I.E.L.D. again. Nick Fury had asked them to be there merely for bureaucratic purposes. Peggy needs a new ID for herself. Steve has to be updated on everything. The Avengers has been doing in the last two days while he spent them with Peggy.<p>

During that time, they have left the apartment occasionally on the weekends. It is spent with Steve catching her up on the new world. They walked in Central Park then sat by an open field watching kids play, families gather around and lovers-like them-enchant themselves in the park's beauty. It's during these times Steve feels more hopeful. They're together in a scenario he has always pictured.

However, they are not together all the time though. Once they arrive S.H.I.E.L.D. they go there separate ways. Peggy always departs with a kiss in front of everyone. Steve is left with a foolish smile when she walks away with the other agents. It's Banner who taps his shoulder and wakes him up from his trance.

"I'm guessing it was a good weekend." Banner says as Steve smiles then nods his head slightly.

"I was showing her the city." Steve says as he enters the room where the other Avengers are located.

All of them smirk upon Steve's arrival. He doesn't blush, but his cheeks dare to heat up slightly. The times he spent being America's new hope during the second World War got him used to everyone looking at him. It still gives him chills when it comes to small rooms and people he knows. He's grateful none of them make comments about him and Peggy.

"Mr. tight pants…!" Tony says in his usual serious yet sarcastic tone. "Finally joins the party."

Steve raises a brow at Tony and then shakes his head. The fact Peggy is back has brought many more vivid memories of Howard Stark. He wonders why he got along so easily with him and things seem so weird with his son Tony most of the time outside battling.

"Missed me much, Stark?" He jokes.

"Was having a hard time concentrating without your moving tight pants around." Tony snarks.

Tony won't ever admit that Steve's strategic brains have been missed. It is why they have decided to recall him.

"You boys quit with that romance. Rogers got his own girl now." Clint snorts.

Natasha directs her eyes at him. She's been confuse about where they stand. They have never really sat down to talk about it. Clint keeps sending several indirect words and conflicting signals. Still, they're living together. None of them have said the words yet. They know they're much more than friends. Friends do not kiss each other in hidden and inexplicably tense moments.

"We've got a lot to catch him up." Clint continues.

"Clint is right." She says being the only female voice in the room, standing out like usual. "We've been digging through stuff on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s old files to figure out how Agent Carter got here."

"I also went through my father's personal records." Stark added.

"We could only find an old file case. It was a project involving vita-ray radiation combined with the Tesseract power force." Clint said. "The file was very clear when explaining the Tesseract force. Though, they had no clue about what its real power was. It did leave tracks behind through some of Schmidt's weapons."

"Yeah, I remember those." Steve says.

He knows well about the Tesseract from back then and when they first got the Avengers together thanks to Loki's abuse of that powerful source. He also recorded quite clearly how that weapons could make people just vanish.

"It's still a dead end because there's not much presented. We don't know how to make it work. It is because the project lacks important information. I believe it was removed from the file for everybody's safety." Banner explains.

"It seems like the program was shut down for no apparent reason and none of my father's personal material say anything about it either." Stark starts. "But one thing changed. Peggy's files say she went missing and was said to be dead a couple of months later."

"What do you mean?" Steve frowns.

"Her files present her as dead now." Clint reports.

"That's impossible. I went through her file before, it said she is retired." Steve objects since he knows them well through every inch of that S.H.I.E.L.D. file.

He has read through it several times before Peggy appeared.

"Time travels make the past and future change. That's why people don't, or shouldn't, do it. Her arrival here already made that change. We don't know what else could be different. Probably her family doesn't exist anymore. The family she'd build if she never ended up here." Natasha explains.

"We couldn't reach out Agent 13, her grandniece." Clint also adds.

"So it's already changing things." Banner says.

That brings Steve to sit down. He's defeated, that worries him. Mostly because he doesn't know how Peggy will react knowing about that. Deep down he's being selfish, for the first time. He knows he can't ever consider losing her again. So, with the silence settled in the room, Banner continues.

"The only way we can figure more things out is by talking to Agent Carter. If she can remember more precise things about their study—" He stops, interrupted by Steve.

"We know she doesn't remember much of the most recent things." Steve says being more concerned now.

His fingers run through his hair and he sighs, the others in the room exchange looks. It's clear for them that Steve is preoccupied.

"We don't need the most recent events. We just need to know more about her research with my father." Tony shrugs.

To him it seems to be a pretty easy task to ask Peggy to help out. Besides, he loves working with intelligent and beautiful women. He doesn't add this part. He is unaware of Steve's personal struggles on the matter.

"Maybe taking a look at the file may spark her memory as well." Clint says.

He has dealt with people who have recent loss of their memories. It has proved to be a good method. Peggy hasn't really lost her memory though. She still knows everything. So she could really be of great help and Steve knows it.

"It could be traumatic." Steve adds still unsure.

Both Clint and Natasha nod "It's a risk."

The other three glance at them. They also look at each other before looking away. The attention is dragged back to Steve. For a while there's a long silence. Stark is the only one clearly unquiet.

"Alright, I'll talk to her." Steve finally says in a sigh.

In the next second, he's already double thinking it. The others smile though, and he knows he'll need to talk to Peggy about it.

In a perfect timing, the door opens and Peggy walks in with Fury by her side. They seem to be getting along, in a very entertained talk. All stop to look at them. Peggy walks straight to Steve. She shows her ID card and raises a brow.

"Apparently I am now American." Peggy teases by rolling her eyes.

Steve knows as much as she loves the States, she's always been a proud British subject.

"I'd doubt that with that accent." Stark says.

Peggy turns around to look at him.

"_God, he's so much like Howard."_ She thinks that to herself.

Steve has explained to her how complicated it was his relationship with Howard, at least the little he knows.

"My accent is one of the thing I am most proud of, Mr. Stark." Peggy retorts being polite as she smiles.

Her eyes glance around at the other's in the room. She notices one is missing.

"Am I insane or is there an Avenger missing?" She asks counting the assembled group.

"Thor is in Asgard." Natasha replies.

She likes having a girl around. A woman she remembers trying to kill several times because Hydra knew her importance and feared her being alive. Though, she never managed to do it. Natasha loved having someone so badass like her around all that testosterone.

"He's, hm…Resolving some business there." She continues as they exchange a look.

It is a look that is so indiscrete that Peggy notices something in the air. Being polite she doesn't inquire about it for now.

"I understand." Peggy nods. "It is very—" Her pause isn't long, but it's clear that she's trying to find the words "—rewarding to see the Avenger initiative actually working so well."

"It is better than even we expected it to work." Banner says as they all know he's referring more to himself than anything else.

Peggy smile's increases a bit more. Though, it's slight and only on the corner of her lips.

"Are we good to go?" Steve asks suddenly while looking at his mates and then Fury.

The head of S.H.I.E.L.D. nods at him. Captain's eyes then fall to meet his lover's. Peggy also agrees on that, even though they don't exchange a word. It's not needed.

"You know where to find us." Steve says as they exit after Peggy says goodbye.

Steve looks over his shoulder before they disappear in the corridor. He sees the worried but confident eyes of his friends.

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I didn't want to leave you with a long note before and I wanted to thank my Carter helpers, aka betas, at the very start. But I also wanted to thank you for the replies here! So apologies on the two notes and let's do it!

**JuliaAurelia**, I just wanted to thank you for the fact that you ALWAYS comment my chapters. It's good to know your thoughts, dear!

**ExquisiteSinner**, isn't is lovely, huh? I'm glad all this Steggy is filling your heart with joy! I hope I can continue helping on that task :D

The three **Guests**, come out of the dark, loves! I wanna hug you with your pretty reviews! hahah kidding! I'm really glad you're liking!

**stagemanagertargaryen**, are you a stage manager? hahah thanks for reviewing, love!

**kkna**, I sincerely almost cried with your review. I was touched to know you thought this fic deserved a reply. For me, a writer with English as second language, is _really_ a reward to know you thought it had so much quality. Thank you! It's for all of you that I write so happy to know you're liking.

**Teresa**, thank you so much for your review! I am planning indeed on showing a lot of Peggy adapting to the new lifestyle and Steve always by her side and all that jazz. Hope you don't get tired by it ;) So glad to know the fic is liked that much!

In general, thank you SO MUCH for reviewing, favoriting and following. This fanfiction has taken proportions that I never imagined and I'm really just _amazed_ by it and by your incredible support. I'd love to continue hearing from all of you, either if it's a suggestion, critic or compliment. You're my fuel, loves. Thanks for the support, till next chapter.


End file.
